Top positive review

5.0 out of 5 starsIt's almost everything I would want in a novel to do with fey(/fae/fay/fair folk), and it's great.

6 January 2018

It's a little slow to start, but THE CRUEL PRINCE is a fun read full of unlikeable characters, battles for power, spies, manipulations of promises, and treason. It's almost everything I would want in a novel to do with fey(/fae/fay/fair folk), and it's great.

I feel a little bad putting unlikeable characters as the first thing on the list of good things about this novel, but seriously it's a plus. Each of the characters are flawed, and while they may have their moments of kindness there's still the darkness of they fey underneath (or their own ambitions, or both). I loved almost all of them❤︎

Jude, her twin sister Taryn, and their older half-sister Vivi are taken to Faerie after their parents are murdered to live with Vivi's biological father Madoc. The book is told by Jude's point of view, and with that we get her opinions on the characters as well. Unlike her eldest sister she's determined to gain power in the world in spite of her tormenters and in order to make a place to belong. Taryn wants to fit in, and she'll do what she must in order to do so, while Vivi is adamant she's going back to the human world and she's going to live there with her girlfriend no matter what anyone says.

Also, because I don't believe this is a spoiler and because it made me smile, Vivi is referred to as bi and the word is actually used. (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ I'm so happy~ a bi character being called bi instead of 'indecisive' or the like. Although, it is kind of implied that a lot of the fey are bisexual or have less scruples about gender than humans do in some cases, but I don't remember there being many more LGBT characters than Vivi and Heather and (possibly) a different couple later on in the book, though a joke is made about two male characters having a previous relationship, but it's brushed off in more of a 'no, it didn't happen' than an 'ew no we're both guys' kind of way.

Anyway, Prince Cardan and his friends are Jude's chief tormentors. The group reminded me a lot of F4 from the Japanese drama Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers if only because of the character types of Cardan (who reminded me of Domyouji) and Locke (who reminded me a lot of Rui) and their positions compared to Jude's, as well as the background of classes where a lot of their interactions took place in the beginning. Cardan is arrogant, childishly vindictive at times, and has a lot more to him than Jude expects. Locke, on the other hand, is easily bored with bullying and he seems less and less interested in the act of antagonising Jude and Taryn and more interested in Jude herself. Valerian is violent and of the group he's one of the more likely ones to start something with Jude. Nicasia is the daughter of a queen and her treatment of Jude only worsens once Locke starts taking an interest.

A major theme of the novel is that fey can not lie, but there's always a way around that. Wording is important in many novels to do with fey, and it's no different in this one. The morals of fey and their prejudice against mortals are shown time and time again throughout the novel, and it's fantastic. Their inhuman features are shown in more than just pointed ears and otherworldly beauty including different features of animals, different coloured blood, eyes of cats or goats or other creatures, lesser fey… they're all different and so clearly not human in comparison to Jude and Taryn. Fey actually looking like fey, I was so glad to see it❤︎

THE CRUEL PRINCE is slow to start, in fact it's less the romance and the incidents in Jude's classes that make it interesting, but the latter half with spies, political intrigue, and murder. Jude finds herself changing her perspective on a lot of characters, and finds herself plotting further than she originally thought she would. She comes to understand things a lot better because while she can lie, she has many moments where she's out of her depth and needs to learn and understand herself and the people around her more.

I adored the ending. I can't wait to see how things change in the next book especially after the chaos that everyone went through in this one. I want to see the deals and plots play out, and how much more will stray from what's been planned by the characters. I can't wait to see how things develop with Jude's relationships with the other characters as well, because while I had some misgivings for some of them I think they're definitely going to get even more interesting in the next one.

Top critical review

3.0 out of 5 starsOnly ok for me - but if you're super into faeries you'll love it

30 March 2018

Before I get to it, I'll admit that while I'd seen a lot of love for this book, I had just watched a negative review before I started. Because of that, I was probably looking a little harder than I normally would at the not-so-good things.

That said, this book was just ok for me. I had two main issues;1) The world. I just didn't find it all that believable. I've never really been super keen on books that seem to throw in extra 'species' just because. Why do there need to be faeries, pixies, goblins, hobbits, elves, mermaids, toads etc etc etc? Yes, I know it didn't have all of those specifically, but you get my drift yes? I feel like it just added unnecessary complication.I didn't mind the idea of the mortal world against the immortal realm of faerie (why is it called faerie?? C'mon, surely it could have been called SOMETHING other than that), but just popping over the water to get some 'mortal jeans' just didn't quite work for me. Also there are giant toads in the stable with the horses (the horses are also weird colours)...... mmmkay.2) I didn't really like any of the characters (with the exception of the Court of Shadows), they're all kinda horrible. I'm the kind of girl who wants to root for someone, but I found it really difficult to get behind any of these characters, especially the protagonist Jude. It seemed like they went nuts when someone said something mean, but 'you killed my parents in cold blood?', oh I can live with that.

With those gripes aside, I can certainly see why people would like it. The pace is pretty good and there's enough action to keep you hooked - I still got through it quite quickly. The end gives a nice little cliffhanger and was probably my favourite part (if slightly predictable), so I'll likely read book two to see where it goes. It won't be at the top of my TBR though.

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Before I get to it, I'll admit that while I'd seen a lot of love for this book, I had just watched a negative review before I started. Because of that, I was probably looking a little harder than I normally would at the not-so-good things.

That said, this book was just ok for me. I had two main issues;1) The world. I just didn't find it all that believable. I've never really been super keen on books that seem to throw in extra 'species' just because. Why do there need to be faeries, pixies, goblins, hobbits, elves, mermaids, toads etc etc etc? Yes, I know it didn't have all of those specifically, but you get my drift yes? I feel like it just added unnecessary complication.I didn't mind the idea of the mortal world against the immortal realm of faerie (why is it called faerie?? C'mon, surely it could have been called SOMETHING other than that), but just popping over the water to get some 'mortal jeans' just didn't quite work for me. Also there are giant toads in the stable with the horses (the horses are also weird colours)...... mmmkay.2) I didn't really like any of the characters (with the exception of the Court of Shadows), they're all kinda horrible. I'm the kind of girl who wants to root for someone, but I found it really difficult to get behind any of these characters, especially the protagonist Jude. It seemed like they went nuts when someone said something mean, but 'you killed my parents in cold blood?', oh I can live with that.

With those gripes aside, I can certainly see why people would like it. The pace is pretty good and there's enough action to keep you hooked - I still got through it quite quickly. The end gives a nice little cliffhanger and was probably my favourite part (if slightly predictable), so I'll likely read book two to see where it goes. It won't be at the top of my TBR though.

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It's a little slow to start, but THE CRUEL PRINCE is a fun read full of unlikeable characters, battles for power, spies, manipulations of promises, and treason. It's almost everything I would want in a novel to do with fey(/fae/fay/fair folk), and it's great.

I feel a little bad putting unlikeable characters as the first thing on the list of good things about this novel, but seriously it's a plus. Each of the characters are flawed, and while they may have their moments of kindness there's still the darkness of they fey underneath (or their own ambitions, or both). I loved almost all of them❤︎

Jude, her twin sister Taryn, and their older half-sister Vivi are taken to Faerie after their parents are murdered to live with Vivi's biological father Madoc. The book is told by Jude's point of view, and with that we get her opinions on the characters as well. Unlike her eldest sister she's determined to gain power in the world in spite of her tormenters and in order to make a place to belong. Taryn wants to fit in, and she'll do what she must in order to do so, while Vivi is adamant she's going back to the human world and she's going to live there with her girlfriend no matter what anyone says.

Also, because I don't believe this is a spoiler and because it made me smile, Vivi is referred to as bi and the word is actually used. (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ I'm so happy~ a bi character being called bi instead of 'indecisive' or the like. Although, it is kind of implied that a lot of the fey are bisexual or have less scruples about gender than humans do in some cases, but I don't remember there being many more LGBT characters than Vivi and Heather and (possibly) a different couple later on in the book, though a joke is made about two male characters having a previous relationship, but it's brushed off in more of a 'no, it didn't happen' than an 'ew no we're both guys' kind of way.

Anyway, Prince Cardan and his friends are Jude's chief tormentors. The group reminded me a lot of F4 from the Japanese drama Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers if only because of the character types of Cardan (who reminded me of Domyouji) and Locke (who reminded me a lot of Rui) and their positions compared to Jude's, as well as the background of classes where a lot of their interactions took place in the beginning. Cardan is arrogant, childishly vindictive at times, and has a lot more to him than Jude expects. Locke, on the other hand, is easily bored with bullying and he seems less and less interested in the act of antagonising Jude and Taryn and more interested in Jude herself. Valerian is violent and of the group he's one of the more likely ones to start something with Jude. Nicasia is the daughter of a queen and her treatment of Jude only worsens once Locke starts taking an interest.

A major theme of the novel is that fey can not lie, but there's always a way around that. Wording is important in many novels to do with fey, and it's no different in this one. The morals of fey and their prejudice against mortals are shown time and time again throughout the novel, and it's fantastic. Their inhuman features are shown in more than just pointed ears and otherworldly beauty including different features of animals, different coloured blood, eyes of cats or goats or other creatures, lesser fey… they're all different and so clearly not human in comparison to Jude and Taryn. Fey actually looking like fey, I was so glad to see it❤︎

THE CRUEL PRINCE is slow to start, in fact it's less the romance and the incidents in Jude's classes that make it interesting, but the latter half with spies, political intrigue, and murder. Jude finds herself changing her perspective on a lot of characters, and finds herself plotting further than she originally thought she would. She comes to understand things a lot better because while she can lie, she has many moments where she's out of her depth and needs to learn and understand herself and the people around her more.

I adored the ending. I can't wait to see how things change in the next book especially after the chaos that everyone went through in this one. I want to see the deals and plots play out, and how much more will stray from what's been planned by the characters. I can't wait to see how things develop with Jude's relationships with the other characters as well, because while I had some misgivings for some of them I think they're definitely going to get even more interesting in the next one.

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I have to admit this book completely surprised me. I have never read a book of this authors before, heard of her sure. And I may be a little bias when it comes to Fae folk as Sarah J Maas has set a high bar for what I expect of Fae.But this book was amazing! I did not pause in reading this books once. A straight 5 hours of reading and I hated it when it ended.

Jude was a likable, complex, flawed and ambitious heroine. I enjoyed her POV thoroughly! Shes a kick ass fighter and I really do admire her grit and will to be better than the faeries.

Cardan was...well he was horrible, but beneath it all I caught glimpses of a genuine broken hero. He shares a lot of tension and chemistry with Jude and I'm looking forward to the development of that in the next books.

What I love most is every character is complex. They go deeper than a villain or a hero, they have layers of good mixed in with the horrible that you cant really hate anyone. Their actions suck but ... they're not all bad. It complicated my head a bit with the back and forth but it gave the plot and characters more depth. Also more intrigue on who is to be trusted and not.

I have to mention this, Taryn is a rotten sister and hope a troll eats her.

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This has a different perspective as the story is told from the anti-heroines point of view.

Twin sisters, one who's soft and wants to marry well and the other who likes to play with knives and toxic court politics. Both sisters are damaged by traumatic childhood events but the way they react to them is interesting.

If the story had been from the soft sisters side, it would have been a pretty hum-drum story but told from the darker twins view, there are far more twists in this fairy's tail.

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I haven't come across many books that are about the fae and are actually good, so I began reading this one with a little trepidation. But once started I could not put it down and am now eagerly awaiting the next one in the series.

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I know there is going to be a sequel and that's why so much was left unresolved but I just feel like I needed something to hold me over till the next book. All the issues and storylines were left open and I just feel like we needed one last chapter. But in saying that it was a great storylines with awesome characters.

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This book was thrilling and exciting with twists and turns I didn't see coming and some I did. The characters were interesting and had depth, the settings were beautiful and it showed the ruthlessness fae are often depicted to have. The next book is sure to be fantastic.

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I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book but it has surprised me in many ways. The story is interesting and engaging, the twists - while predictable - leave you eager to keep reading. The writing is descriptive and has amazing attention to detail. The characters-especially Jude - are well thought out and seem real, flawed and believable. Highly recommend, excited to read the next one!